​Forget tying knots and singing round the campire - these scouts are trying their hand at something entirely different.

The 8th Penwortham St Teresa’s Scouts have stepped in to save a farmers’ market that was threatened with closure.

St Mary's Church Hall

The weekly Penwortham market was under threat when St Mary’s Church Hall – where it had been held – was sold for development.

But now the scout group has stepped in and offered their hut as a venue, while assisting with the running of the popular market.

Group Scout Leader, John Topping, said: “I’m very happy that the Scouts are working closely with the community by offering the popular market a home following the closure of St Mary’s Church Hall, it’s home for more than 10 years.

“Their aim is to grow the market and secure its future in Penwortham for many years to come.”

Penwortham mayor Councillor Jim Patten, attended the December market to see how the scouts were getting on.

“The scouts have very kindly stepped in and taken it on,” said Coun Patten, “having already done the last two markets in November and December 2017.

“It’s good for their development, putting something back into the community.

He added: “The more people in Penwortham the better.”

The new market will take place on the first Saturday of every month from the group’s scout hut behind St Teresa’s Church off Queensway, Penwortham.

Church Hall

St Mary’s Church Hall is set to be turned into a retirement home by developers McCarthy and Stone in 2016.

A public exhibition of the plans for the site – which is opposite Penwortham Girls School – took place in September last year and was “one of the most popular events they have had”, according to a spokesman from McCarthy and Stone.

The application is set to appear before South Ribble Planning Committee on Wednesday, February 7, at 6pm, where a decision on its future will be made.

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